Construction Starts On The World’s Largest Single-Mast Bridge

The world’s longest single-mast,
asymmetric cable-stayed bridge – Danjiang Bridge – has begun its construction
work in Taiwan. The Danjiang Bridge has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.
It is slated to become operational in 2024 and is a massive project with a
whopping budget of $405.2 million.

The Danjiang Bridge was unveiled
first in 2015 following an architectural competition. The bridge will be
spanning the mouth of the Tamsui River that makes its way through Taipei. Along
with its support roads, the bridge will measure in at a length of 920 meters
and will span 450 meters to the west of the mast and 175 meters to the east.
The mast will be rising to a height of 200 meters.

The Danjiang Bridge’s asymmetrical
design is more than just an aesthetic feature as it provides practical benefits
as well. It is aimed at making sure that the bridge doesn’t cause hindrance to
the sea traffic while also keeping the obstructions to the view to a minimum.
The fact that the area is famous for watching the sunset has a lot to do with
it. It has also been designed this way to make sure that the riverbed is
minimally disturbed and local natural habitat remains preserved.

The Danjiang Bridge is being built
for the sake of reducing traffic on the local roads that remain congested. It
will also be bringing the journey from Bali and Tamsui down by a total of 15
kilometers. In terms of time, commuters will be able to save 25 minutes of
commuting time. The bridge will be featuring road, cycle, and pedestrian lanes.

Zaha Hadid Architects has been taking
on some massive projects recently. Apart from the Danjiang Bridge, it is also
working on Russia’s biggest port. It is also working on a completely new neighborhood
close to Moscow and is also the company behind the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau
Bridge.